"Sharknado 2: The Second One" touches down Wednesday - and Syfy has teamed up with Philips to make it even more ridiculous.

Through a special mobile app called Syfy Sync and the Philips Hue connected lighting system, you can augment the viewing experience with lighting effects at key moments in the show (see Mashable video above).

My take: It sure seems like a lot of trouble. But it could be just the ticket at viewing parties for what is surely going to be the grown-worthy laugh fest of the summer.

I just wish FX would do something like this for "The Strain" - where it could actually add a whole new layer of tension.

Is Weird Al's social success streak really everything it's made out to be?

Much has been made about how Yankovic has been releasing a new song and video every day for the last several days to build buzz for his latest album, "Mandatory Fun."

Here's the thing: I am not sure I would have heard about it at all, if not for the media coverage.

It's true that "viral" is an outcome, not a strategy. And here, the whole point was indeed to create a multiplier effect by leveraging unpaid media coverage (and its attendant online commentary) to build buzz.

This may just be an example of how this all works. And chances are, there's a lot more going on than just social virility.

That said - I love the video above. Reminds me of what a modern-day "School House Rock" might be like in the digital age.

And hey - who couldn't use a few reminders on avoiding "Word Crimes" in our real-time, online stream-of-consciousness?

I'm intrigued by P&G's new "Like A Girl" campaign for Always - and find myself wondering if it will be viewed an imitation of Unilever's long-running "Real Beauty" effort, or in its own right.

Myself, I'm all for anything that helps boost self-esteem. And while some of the conventions here have been used by Unilever's Dove brand for years, the entry point here is in many (many) ways even more important than beauty (inner and outer). It's about what it means to be a capable, powerful human being.

As readers of my book THE ON-DEMAND BRAND know, I'm a huge fan of Unilever's decade-long campaign. But that doesn't mean there isn't room for more efforts that collectively champion a change in the entire conversation about how products are marketed to women.

Count it as a victory for Dove - and kudos to Always for joining a growing chorus. Hopefully a sign of many more such initiatives, from many brands, to come.